Egyptians calling for an end to President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule captured the world's attention with mass protests from January 25, 2011, (#Jan25) across the country, especially in Cairo's central Tahrir Square which citizens occupied for more than two weeks. Originally inspired by the Tunisian uprisings that began in December 2010, the Egyptian protests now in turn inspire additional hope for change in the wider North African region and abroad.Initially, the government blocked the Internet and mobile phone communication, but news of arrests and police repression still circulated online. According to Human Rights Watch, police violence against protesters (especially tear gas canisters and rubber bullets fired at people's heads) led to the deaths of at least 300 people. Victory finally came on 11 February, when Hosni Mubarak, president for 30 years, stepped down.

Since the fall of the old regime, Egyptians have been struggling to build a new democratic one. For the first time in Egypt’s modern history millions of citizens participated in a referendum to put an end to the constitution they had during Mubarak’s era. There have been multiple protests and sit-ins even after Mubarak’s departure to ensure the remaining demands of the revolution are fulfilled, one of which is the trial of Mubarak and the pillars of his regime, which began in August 2011.

Some Egyptians believe the revolution is over, some want to continue the struggle for democracy, whilst others believe demonstrators should be forcibly stopped for the sake of the country’s economy and stability.

For more information on the 2011/12 Egypt parliamentary and presidential elections, visit our dedicated special coverage page.

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What we do:Global Voices bloggers from the Middle East and North Africa report on how citizens use the Internet and social media to make their voices heard, often translating from Arabic. Check back for further developments to this page.